I read the well informed article in your Family Money column with interest (Power To The People, 24.4.04).

As you rightly say, consumers now enjoy lower energy prices. Since the start of competition in the domestic gas market in 1996, the average household British Gas bill has come down in real terms by around 14pc, even allowing for January's price increase, down around a third in real terms since privatisation, according to the regulator Ofgem.

Prices are driven by the very competitive market, but they are also inevitably impacted by commodity costs, which is why all suppliers have had to increase prices in recent months. Independent commentators are predicting further price rises over the next few years, given the continuing and significant forward wholesale cost pressures.

In the early years of competition, new entrants to the market have naturally sought to offer discounts in order to gain market share.

However, figures show that, cumulatively, since December 2000, British Gas prices have increased by a lower percentage than any other major supplier.

For many people choosing a supplier is not merely a matter of the lowest available price. It may also be about the most suitable company in terms of payment options, the security of the price on offer, the ability to speak to a knowledgeable person in customer services at the time you want - and in your chosen language - the frequency of meter readings, the level of understanding when you have payment problems and the provision of special services to meet individual needs.

For such reasons we would always urge a customer to speak to their chosen supplier and get answers to the questions they feel are relevant before committing to a contract.